Artificial teeth



Nov. 18, 1952 v. P. HENDRICKS ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed May 2, 1949 Jim; 1.

Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTIFICIAL TEETH IVictor P. Hendricks, Pomona, Calif. "Application May 2, 1949, Serial No.90,940 10 Claims. ('01. 1321-2) 1 My inyention relates to improvementsin amii'icialteeth, and particularly to improvements in the assembly andconstruction of dentures; and the objects of my invention are, first, toprovide an anchor frame adapted to receive and anchor a full set .ofupper and lower teeth; second, to

afford facilities in such anchor frame to adjust each individual toothhorizontally in its relation to neighboring teeth without disturbing thepre set occlusion between upper and lower teeth; third, to provide meansfor assembling dentures so that a full set of either upper or lowerteeth is arranged as a unit or divided into any number of segments, as amanufacturer or dentist may desire; fourth, to construct a frame forprosthetic dentures in which each tooth may may easily be removed orreplaced without disturbing the residual denture; and fifth, to providean anchor frame for prosthetic dentures which simplifies the manufactureof dental plates, reducing at the same time the costs of manufacture andtime'reguired to produce them, and giving additional stability andstrength to the finished product.

i I attain these and other objects by means of the construction andarrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1is a front elevational View of a full set of upper and lower teeth usingmy anchor frame, and in a flat position;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a set of lower teeth using my anchor frame,in a curved position;

Figure 3 shows an elevational rear view of a molar tooth having a slotfor receiving my anchor frame;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the molar tooth on line d l ofFig. 3;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a molar tooth showing a portion of myancho frame and the method by which said tooth is attached to said amFigure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective of my anchorframe showing part of an upper anchor band for the attachment of molarteeth and segments for the attachment of front teeth;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of one of the upper front teethshowing a portion of my anchor frame, and the method by which said toothis attached to said frame; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the upper front tooth on line-8--8 of Fig. 7.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose ofillustration I show a preferred embodiment of my invention, vmy

anchor framecomprises the upper anchor band 10, the lower anchor bandII, and two stability bars [2, I2, which connect the free ends of theanchor bands and holds said anchor bands in a spaced parallel relation.

Each anchor band consists of two identical fiat strips of rigid materiall4, l4. and l5, l5, respectively, and a plurality of frame segments forupper teeth 16, and for lower teeth [1, respectively, which segments arehinged to each other and to said "respective flat strips, l4 and [5respectively, by the use of pivots l8.

Each flat strip, M and [5 respectively, carries transversely a number ofribs 19, spaced from each other a distance approximating the lateralwidth of an average molar tooth, which said ribs are rigidly afiixed tothe upper fiat side of the upper fiat strips l4, and to the under sideof the lower flat strips I5.

Stability bars 12, [-2, connect the underside of the upper fiat strips14, to the top side of the lower flat strips 15, near the free ends ofsaid fiat strips.

The other end of said fiat strips is pivotally connected to framesegments, l6 and I! respectively, by means of pivot 18 in such a way asto permit limited horizontal motion to the frame segments andxto. thefiat strips respectively.

'Each upper frame segment 16, and lower frame segment I1, consists of apair of fiat bars 20, 20, rigidly affixed at one end to -a horizontallyplaced semi-circular rod 22,, extending outwardly and near the free endsof said rod in linear relation to each other. The other end of each flatbar 29, -20, rests upon, or is supporting flat bars of neighboring framesegments or fiat strips, and is pivotally connected thereto by pivotsl8, and are forming, what I name an interproximal hinge 29.

Front tooth guide rods 23, are rigidly affixed to each free end of thesemicircular rod 22, in a substantially vertical position and at rightangles to said semicircular rod. The exact point of attachment of eachguide rod to the ends of each semicircular rod varies with the relativehorizontal position of each pair of fiat bars 20, 20, depending uponwhether each of such fiat bars rests on the top of, or acts as supportfor, the flat bar of its neighboring element to which it is pivotallyconnected. I

Such neighboring element may either be an-'- other segment, a d]?respectively, 'or a flat strip, l4 and respectively, I m i 5 For thepurpose of this invention I use arti ficial molar teeth 24, having aslot 25, which extends from the rear of each tooth near its upperportion transversely across the whole width to approximately the centerof each tooth.

For the purpose of this invention I use artificial front teeth 26,having a pair of substantially vertical grooves 21, 21, in the rearportion of each tooth, adapted to receive guide rods 23, 23, and havinga substantially curved semicircular rear portion 28, suitable to fitsnugly into the space provided by semicircular rod 22.

The length of the stability bars I2, I2, is designed to hold upper andlower anchor bands, Ill and II respectively, in horizontally spacedrelation so as to provide a fixed pre-set occlusion between the upperand lower dentures.

In use, each molar tooth 24, is slid into position on the fiat strips,I4 and I 5 respectively, between any two adjacent ribs I 9, I 9. Thethickness of each slot 25, is designed to fit each molar tooth 24,snugly on said fiat strips. After the assembly of the molar teeth iscompleted, each upper front tooth 26, is pushed upwards into position ineach frame segment IS, the grooves 21, 21, and curved rear portion 28,of each front tooth being designed to fit tightly in the space providedby the semicircular rod 22, and vertical guide rods 23, 23. Each lowerfront tooth is then pushed downwards into position and anchored in thelower anchor band segments in the same manner as heretofore describedfor the upper front teeth.

The length of the stability bars I2, I2, is designed to provide apre-set occlusion, as hereinbefore described, and the only adjustmentneeded ordinarily to manufacture a custom-made denture is theadjustmentin the relative horizontal position of each front tooth. This adjustmentis effected by the horizontal movement of each of the segments carryingthe front teeth by means of the interproximal hinges, so-called becausethey are located in the interproximal space between front teeth. Theseinterproximal hinges 29,29, consist of the flat bars 20, 20, of eachsegment and its adjoining segment or fiat strip respectively, and pivotl8, as heretofore described.

'If it should become necessary to change the occlusion of any upperfront tooth, for example, from its pre-set position, this may beaccomplished by cementing such tooth into the segment in the desiredspacial relation to its mate in the lower denture.

After all teeth are fixed in their desired horizontal and verticalrelative position to each other, the stability bars I2, I2, are cut andremoved from the anchor frame I, and standard procedure is followed fromthereon in completing the denture.

In case any particular tooth breaks during use of the dentures, or needsreplacement for any other reason, such tooth may be removed from itsposition on the anchor frame I, and replaced without disturbing anyother tooth in the denture.

While a specific form of my invention has been described, it isunderstood that the same may be modified without departing from thespirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sets of lower andupper fiat strips, a plurality of ribs transversely affixed to the upperside of each upper flat strip, a plurality of ribs transversely afiixedto the lower side of each lower fiat strip, rear teeth having slotsthrough which the hat strips pass, a stability bar affixed to one end ofeach set of upper and lower flat strips holding said flat strips infixed parallel spaced relation to each other, two aligned frame segmentsso arranged that adjacent ends of the frames are attached together andeach free end of a frame has a flat strip attached to it, a semicircularrod horizontally spaced and affixed between the fiat bars, andvertically spaced rods attached to the ends of said semicircular rod,and front teeth carrying grooves in which the vertically spaced rodsslide.

2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sets of lower andupper fiat strips, a plurality of ribs rigidly afiixed in spacedrelation to each other and transversely to the upper side of each upperfiat strip, a plurality of ribs rigidly affixed in spaced relation toeach other and transversely to the under side of each lower fiat strip,rear teeth having slots through which the fiat strips pass, a stabilitybar afiixed to one end of each set of upper and lower flat stripsholding said flat strips in fixed spacial relation and substantiallyparallel to each other, means pivotally attached to and connecting thelower flat strips to each other, means pivotally attached to andconnecting the upper flat strips to each other, and front teeth havinggrooves in slidable relation to said two last named means.

3. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sets of lower andupper fiat strips, a plurality of ribs rigidly affixed in spacedrelation to each other and transversely to the upper side of each upperfiat strip, a plurality of ribs rigidly affixed in spaced relation toeach other and transversely to the under side of each lower fiat strip,rear teeth having slots through which the fiat strips pass, meansaffixed to one end of each set of upper and lower fiat strips, andholding said fiat strips in fixed spacial relation and substantiallyparallel to each other, means pivotally attached to and connecting thelower fiat strips to each other, means pivotally attached to andconnecting the upper fiat strips to each other, and front teeth havinggrooves connected in slidable relation to said two last named means.

4. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sets of lower andupper fiat strips, rear teeth having slots through which the flat stripspass, a stability bar affixed to one end of each set of upper and lowerfiat strips holding said flat strips in fixed spacial relation andsubstantially parallel to each other, two aligned frame segments soarranged that adjacent ends of the frames are attached together and eachfree end of a frame has a flat strip attached to it, a semicircular rodspaced horizontally between the fiat bars and afiixed thereto, aplurality of rods spaced in relative vertical position to each other andattached rigidly to the ends of said semicircular rod, and front teethcarrying grooves in which the last named rods slide, and a plurality ofsegments attached pivotally to each other.

5. In a device of the class described, a plurality of lower and upperflat strips, rear teeth through which the flat strips pass, meansconnecting each lower fiat strip with each upper fiat strip and holdingsaid flat strips in fixed spacial relation and substantially parallel toeach other, means pivotally attached to and connecting the lower fiatstrips to each other, means pivotally attached to and connecting theupper fiat strips to each other, and front teeth having groovesconnected in slidable relation to said two last named means.

6. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sets of upper andlower flat strips, rear teeth having slots through which said fiatstrips pass, means adapted to hold the lower flat strips in fixed spacedrelation to the upper fiat strips, means pivotally attached to andconnecting the lower flat strips to each other, means pivotally attachedto and connecting the upper flat strips to each other, and frontteethattached to said two last named means.

'7. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sets of upper andlower fiat strips, rear teeth having slots through which said fiatstrips pass, a stability bar aflixed to one end of each set of upper andlower flat strips holding said fiat strips in fixed parallel spacedrelation to each other, means adapted to hold the lower flat strips inpivotal relation to each other, means adapted to hold the upper flatstrips in pivotal relation to each other, and teeth having groovesattached to said two last named means.

8. In a denture, the combination of a fiat bar having a substantiallysemi-circular cutout in one of its longitudinal edges, a. pair ofvertically arranged rods in spaced relation to each other and afiixed ata substantially right angle to said fiat bar and extending above andbelow said fiat bar, and front teeth having a plurality of grooves and awedge shaped rear portion which said front teeth are wedged into saidcutout with their rear portion and rest between said rods.

9. In a denture, the combination of a flat bar having a substantiallysemi-circular cutout in one of its longitudinal edges, a plurality ofvertically arranged rods in spaced relation to each other and afiixed ata substantially right angle to said flat bar and extending above andbelow said fiat bar, and front teeth having a wedge shaped rear portionsaid front teeth being wedged into said cutout and resting between saidrods.

10. In a device of the class described, a plurality of lower and upperfiat strips, rear teeth through which the fiat strips pass, meansconnecting each lower flat strip with each upper fiat strip and holdingsaid fiat strips in fixed spacial relation and substantially parallel toeach other, means pivotally attached to and connecting the lower fiatstrips to each other, means pivotally attached to and connecting theupper flat strips to each other, each of said two last named meanscomprising a fiat bar having a cutout in one of its longitudinal edges,a plurality of vertically arranged rods in spaced relation to each otherand afiixed at a substantially right angle to said last named. fiat bar,and front teeth wedged into said cutout and resting between said rods.

VICTOR P. HENDRICKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

